The Black Candle

Chapter 5: Runaways

After escaping near death, the group were all piled into Nick's sports car. Lorelai steered the wheel, driving them in random directions, making an endless loop around Windenville to seek an escape.
The car was quiet, everyone was in their own world trying to recollect their thoughts and state of mind after what happened in the past hour. Olivia sat in the passenger seat, her hand patting Lorelai while she drove to give some sort of content. In the back Gwen, Danny and Lydia were all squeezed together, their faces just pale with shock and horror. No one broke the silence around them, only car's tires driving across the asphalt road to be heard. The night was young, most of the town was at the Town Hall watching Nick give a big speech and thanking them for helping him win the election. He and Imogen opted to leave the girls home knowing they would publicly make Nick look bad as their expressions around him always show they weren't fond of his presence.

Lorelai glanced at Gwen from the rearview mirror, her face stained with worry. She knew Gwen was shaken up from the whole sacrificial ritual aspect of the situation they faced but Gwen just felt dread and guilt that was inside everytime she looked at Lydia. Lorelai could tell she was holding back tears, but she couldn't imagine or even bear the thought of Gwen being the victim to face whatever Shawn faced.

As they continued to drive on, the minutes felt like hours passing by as they drove further away. Olivia was genuinely worried about Lorelai, she kept a tight grip on the wheel and pushed the car faster, desperate to get them away from the creature hunting Gwen but no matter how far she drove, the impending feeling of being hunted had them all fearing for their lives.

"What if it comes back to kill me." Gwen broke the silence which caused a chain reaction around her.
Lorelai stomped the brakes causing Danny and Lydia to hit face first behind her and Olivia's seat. Lorelai parked the car before turning to Gwen in the middle seat.

"We're not going to be there when it comes." Lorelai sighed, she turned the car off to rest for a moment. They park outside a children's play park near their high school, Widenville High. The thought of the creature taking Gwen haunted Lorelai the moment she ignited the flame.

"I can't keep running."

Gwen looked at Lorelai with fear in her eyes, she knew her sister was trying to protect her but Shawn's sacrifice weighed guilt on her shoulders. She'd been marked by the creature, she was its next target and Gwen didn't want to sit back and watch her friends get massacred so she could get another chance to run free.

"Then it should've been you." Lydia had her head down for the whole ride sobbing to herself but when she spoke it sent the car silent once again.

Gwen just looked at her, shocked she could even say that. "Are you fucking serious?"

Lydia only rose up and stared Gwen in the eyes, tension built around them. "You should've fucking died instead of Shawn." Lydia choked up, her voice trembling. Gwen's heart sank, Lydia's words hit deep but she knew she was lashing out of a place of grief and fear.

"I didn't ask for this," Gwen just mumbled, her voice quivered. "I didn't ask for any of this to happen!"
Lydia's sorrow turned to anger fuel from what Gwen said. "You lit the fucking candle and summoned a demon!" Lydia screamed. "You should of fucking died, not him!"

Danny and Olivia exchanged uneasy glances while Lorelai just kept quiet watching the area around them. Gwen just jumped out of the car and walked to the park they parked at.
Lydia followed behind, still cursing at Gwen, "Yeah run away, you're a fucking coward!" Gwen didn't want to get mad at her, she knew she was processing everything but it didn't stop her from reacting the way she did.

Gwen turned back facing Lydia and without hesitation, she slapped Lydia across the face.
"Oh my God!" Danny and other gasp standing behind them, Gwen reacted the same realizing what she'd done out of pent up rage, her hand stung from the force of the slap.